Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Developing a Positive Attitude, The Bright Side of My Life!

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle.” -Albert Einstein-

Humans are inclined to see negativity - at first sight - in everything. Unfortunately, we live in a world where BAD things are always reported in the NEWS. We love "alarming" headlines in the media. Most of the shows on TV are about suffering, infidelity, sex, killing, bad behavior, protests or just have nothing to teach us. It's the same on the radio, in newspapers and internet news. It seems as though we like to watch how people fight, how they break society's rules or how people are suffering – not to find a way to help them, but just to appease our morbid curiosity.

I can say from experience that negativity spreads 10 times faster than "positivity." That is why the media use shocking headlines – to get our attention. Do you think they sell as much if they used positive headings? I don't think so, because we are so conditioned to see the negative side of life.

Being positive takes an extra effort. Maintaining a positive attitude is a constant battle. We need to be aware of our thoughts, feelings and words. We can change our minds! Some people consider the human brain (mind) a muscle, so if we exercise it we can keep it in a positive shape. For instance, try to do something new, like writing with the left hand, if you usually write with the right hand. With this small change, we are exercising our mind. It takes a little time to learn, but it is a matter of practice.

Changing our negative attitude for positive attitude is the same process. We can develop our positive attitude with a few guidelines:

Be alert of your thoughts:

Every time you catch yourself having a negative thought, change it for a positive! You don't need to think too much, just use positive words – you can laugh about it!

Express your positive thoughts loudly:

If you see a flower (or something else) affirm positively about it: “How lucky I am to see such a beautiful red flower.”

Find reasons to laugh:

Look for funny videos in the internet, watch comedy shows, make jokes about yourself (this is the best way for me to laugh).

Be happy no matter what!

YOU have the choice to be happy (or unhappy). When you know and believe this, your life will change.

Believe in yourself:

You are the most beautiful person in the whole world. Nobody is like you and nobody can make things better than you.

Surround yourself with positive people:

You cannot change other people, but you can choose the people to be with.

Avoid complaints:

Every time you want to complain, write (think or say) three positive things about the thing you want to complain about.

Look at the bright side of life:

Everything and everybody has a positive side, you only need to open your mind and your eyes - and see it!

Pamper yourself when you fail:

Nobody is perfect! Mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. Try one more time!

Turn off the media:

Especially the news and talk shows. Read inspiring books and look for good positive information in the internet.

Those are just some ideas you can practice to develop your positive attitude. Be creative and find even more that work for you. If you embrace a positive attitude your life will be happier and more successful.